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An attorney with more than 20 years of experience, Felix Rippy also has training in public management from the Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Management. Felix Rippy is pursuing a PhD in public management at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, where he will be teaching in FIU’s public administration department as part of a fellowship. Outside of his work and academic pursuits, Felix Rippy enjoys traveling internationally and has lived in Cuernavaca, Mexico, which offers a number of unique places to visit. The following are just a few:

–Teopanzolco’s archaeological zone: With ancient settlement from pre-Hispanic times, Teopanzolco features a temple where the Tlahuicas lived in the 13th century.

–The Palace of Cortes: Built by Hernan Cortes, this medieval-style palace is similar to a fortress. Since 1974, the palace has been home to a museum showcasing pre-Hispanic pieces.

–Zocalo: Located on the first block of Cuernavaca, the Zocalo features the famous Jardín Juarez (Juarez garden) and a kiosk imported from England in 1890. The Zocalo serves as a central place to relax and enjoy local foods and treats.

Attorney Felix Rippy started his own law firm in 1994 where he practiced for over 20 years. Currently, he is enrolled in Indiana University Graduate School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA). Additionally, from 1998 to 2008, Felix Rippy served as the president of the Round Rock, Texas, Morning Sunrisers Kiwanis Club.

The Kiwanis Club is a worldwide organization that strives to meet the needs of children by means of service projects and fundraising. On September 30, 2017, the Round Rock Noon Kiwanis Club will be hosting its 26th Annual Pancake Breakfast at the City of Round Rock Allen R. Baca Center for Senior and Community. At five dollars per ticket, guests can enjoy an all-you-can-eat full breakfast with proceeds going to helping children in the community.

After the breakfast, guests will participate in Public Safety Day to learn about Round Rock’s safety operations, which will include exploring fire engines and SWAT units. The Morning Sunrisers’ Kiwanis Club and its past President Felix Rippy congratulates the Noon Club for 26 years of success in this endeavor.

An Indiana-based JD/MBA with more than 25 years of experience, Felix Rippy holds a bachelor’s in history from Harvard University and a juris doctor from the University of Texas. Felix Rippy is enrolled in a PhD program in International Public Management at Florida International University, which recently announced one of its professors won the national Bridging the World Gap Challenge.

A linguist at Florida International University, Melissa Baralt competed with over 100 professionals in the Bridging the World Gap Challenge. Sponsored by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), the competition encouraged contestants to devise innovative ways to address the drastic difference in vocabulary between children from high-income families and children from low-income families. Melissa Baralt’s solution is an application called Hablame Bebe, which helps Spanish-speaking parents expose their children to a wider vocabulary in Spanish and promote bilingualism of babies in Hispanic families. Felix Rippy was particularly impressed with this application due to his former residence in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

The idea for the app was born from Baralt’s research at day care centers in the Miami area, where she observed that native Spanish speakers often spoke English to their children. This practice was stifling the development of children’s vocabulary, given that these parents typically have a more limited vocabulary in English. Felix Rippy also noted that the children’s problem was compounded as they were then less likely to benefit from bi-lingualism.

With Hablame Bebe, parents can provide language nutrition to their children through 20 daily routines. By using the app to speak to their children in Spanish, parents can expose their children to more words and create neural networks that will serve them for the rest of their lives. Felix Rippy congratulates his colleague on her victory and on her research!

The founder of Rippy Law Firm, Felix Rippy spent over two decades as a family law attorney, as well as appearing on ABC television to comment on legal issues. Since then, Felix Rippy has participated in a variety of charitable endeavors, including a documentary project on the Spiritual Trail for WFYI Public Media in Indianapolis.

Visitors and residents of Indianapolis may wish to consider experiencing the Spiritual Trail, an interfaith path that recently reopened after a winter hiatus. Pilgrims can explore alone or join a walking theology group led by members of the American Pilgrims on the Camino’s Hoosier chapter to learn about the Camino in Spain.

The Spiritual Trail starts at the Indiana Interchurch Center and ends at the Holcomb Gardens. Along the way, pilgrims can choose to walk the Jerusalem labyrinth. The trail also follows the Canal Towpath along the White River, which offers beautiful natural surroundings for meditation and personal growth.

To learn more about the Spiritual Trail or to find an upcoming guided walk, visit www.centerforinterfaithcooperation.org. The site also includes details on events such as the Festival of Faiths.

A television commentator on legal issues for ABC, attorney Felix Rippy has over 20 years of experience in family law practice. Now focused on projects such as a scholarly work on the interconnections between international cuisines, Felix Rippy previously lived in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Felix Rippy has recently accepted a Florida International University Ph.D. appointment and will travel to Mexico City and Cuernavaca later in 2017. Felix Rippy has recently returned from a similar university international trip to Scandinavia and Felix Rippy highly recommends, based on his world travels, these three sites in Cuernavaca.

Visitors to Cuernavaca can experience the tranquil peace of the beautiful landscapes or seek adventure on the mountains and volcanoes. Sites to visit in the town itself include Jardin Borda, the Palacio de Cortes, and the Catedral de la Asuncion.

Jardin Borda (the Borda Garden) boasts an extensive array of ferns, flowers, and trees. The grounds of an 18th century mansion built by Jose Borda, Jardin Borda also offers spectacular fountains and a variety of arts events that take place in the garden.

Standing alongside the Plaza de Armas, the Palacio de Cortes (the Palace of Cortes) remains a testament to Mexican conqueror Hernan Cortes. One of the oldest buildings in the region, the Palacio de Cortes also holds the prison of national hero Jose Maria Morelos.

The Cathedral de la Asuncion (Cathedral of the Assumption), built by Franciscan missionaries, remains one of the oldest structures in the region, dating back to the 16th Century. A renovation of the cathedral revealed a series of spectacular frescoes on the walls depicting the life of Saint Philip of Jesus who suffered martyrdom in Japan along with 26 other religious figures.

Felix Rippy earned his degree in history at Harvard University, graduating cum laude. He went on to pursue a juris doctor in commercial and employment law at the University of Texas. He is the founding attorney of Rippy Law Firm where he handled family cases in Williamson, Travis, and Mason Counties in Texas. Outside of work, Felix Rippy is fond of traveling across the globe and has resided in several other countries, including Mexico. Felix Rippy recently returned from a European sojourn where he realized the interconnections between European and Mexican cuisines.

Located at the southern portion of North America, Mexico is the thirteenth largest country in the world. Officially called the United Mexican States, the country is comprised of 31 states including its capital, Mexico City. Mexico is perhaps best known for its cuisine of nachos and tacos. Felix Rippy resided in Cuernavaca, near the Felix Rippy family home in the Distrito Federal and the Templo Mayor.

Unbeknownst to many, however, the country actually has another significant contribution in the culinary industry: chocolates. Felix Rippy recently explored this contribution through its Swiss and Italian roots.

People from the regions of ancient Mexico ground dried cacao beans to make a drink used in religious ceremonies and in the treatment of fever. They would add ingredients such as vanilla and honey to alleviate the bitter taste of the drink. It was during the 16th century when the Spanish colonizers exported the beverage to Europe. Because of its distinct taste, chocolate quickly spread across Europe, and eventually around the world.

Today, Mexico remains one of the countries notable for its famous chocolates. Other countries include Switzerland, Belgium, and the United States, all of which Felix Rippy has recently visited in his quest to interconnect the world’s cuisines.